The ‘Things’ People Don’t Tell You When Going Into Business with Your Partner

Starting your own business can be a real daunting prospect for anyone, and for us what started as a weekend passion quickly turned into our full-time jobs.

In 2013 we started Gathering Events a mobile boutique bar, and coffee service which was shaped from our very own wedding over 5 years ago in James Street Brisbane. Back in then, there wasn’t an organisation that offered fun cocktails, or service with a style. We simply set up a trestle table with black linen, some eskies and ‘hired’ friends of some neighbours, we were ‘sure’ probably opened a bottle of wine once or twice in their life.

As we now celebrate our third year full time in business, we wanted to reflect and share a little of what life can be like behind the scenes. It is no cliché that working for yourself is a roller-coaster ride, and every day is different, but for us, doing it together has been one of the most rewarding experiences we could have ever hoped for.

Feedback is brutally honest

There is no walking on egg shells with each other.

Jen: “Babe, can you please review this blog I have done?”

Adam: “Is it finished yet? What is this even about?” (this is a direct quote).

Milking their strengths

You have a greater appreciation for all of those things that you don’t even want to attempt to do within the business, but your partner is all about those things. We have opposite traits, and therefore complement each other perfectly. We have accepted each other’s strengths, encouraged and developed them – and we milk these for all they are worth.

New language

You stop talking in full sentences or sentences that make sense – because you know they understand what you are saying (or trying to say).

Concept of time

Being away from each other for smaller amounts of time, even 4 hours, seems like an entire day.

You celebrate A LOT

Revelling in all of our milestones, big or small, becomes a regular thing. Whether it’s “Come on, let’s go out to dinner, we booked an event” or “Come on, let’s go play a round of golf, we just finished an event”. Working hard towards something together and seeing results is worth celebrating.

Sharing workspace

We call it the ‘office-dance’. We both have different ideas about what is ‘clean’ and ‘orderly’ and how our office and an inbox should look. Trying not to throw stacks of dormant paperwork in the bin, and allowing your partner the space and respect to work within their own environment is HARD.

Good cop, bad cop

You realise that with staff and colleagues, you are now seen as the ‘nice one’ or the ‘mean one’?!

Who’s boss?

You will be asked on a weekly basis, “who wears the pants”? No one wears the pants, we are both the boss of the business equally. Each partner is successful in their own right, and in their own projects.

Separating work-life

Not likely, no thanks. We have learnt that our best ideas are when we are together doing the most unlikely of activities, such as walking the dogs, grocery shopping or holidaying.

All in all, it’s way more fun when you are working with your best friend.

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Gathering Events is a boutique pop up bar service, lead by husband and wife duo (Jen & Adam), along with their crew of super talented (and charming) bartenders.

Our #1 priority is creating old fashioned good-times, with a fun and fresh twist.
We are obsessed with espresso martini’s, road trips and offering our clients ‘real’ experiences!
Based in Brisbane, we travel far and wide, offering our complete mobile bar service for events of all types and styles, including Ipswich, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Byron Bay and Toowoomba.

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